Vegetable cutter



Aug. 8, 1944. H. s. K. LUI

VEGETABLE CUTTER Filed June a, 1943 INVENTOQ HENRY 5. K. LUI

' r fi M TORNE Y5 Patented Aug. 8, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE a... $3121? EEK; 0.1...

Application June 8, 1943, Serial No. 490,098

8 Claims. ('01. 30-279) The present invention relates to improvements in a vegetable cutter, and it consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a vegetable cutter in which the frame is of novel shape and construction and is stamped from a single blank of metal. The vegetable cutter has a removable corrugated knifethat is designed to cut a corrugated surface in vegetables such as beets, carrots, etc. A platform is used for supporting the'vegetable and this platform cooperates with the corrugated knife so that all the slices will be of uniform thickness. After the corrugations are formed in the slice it is possible to rotate the slice through an arc of 90 and then move the slice through the corrugated knife for the second time so that new corrugations will be formed in the vegetable slice that will extend at right angles to the former corrugations. The result of the combined corrugations is a waffle-like appearance formed on the vegetable slices.

In place of the corrugated knife, a multi-cell knife may be used for cutting the vegetables,

such as a potato into elongated arts which are square in cross-section. These parts are known as shoe-string potatoes. The same support is used when forming shoe string potatoes aswhen forming corrugated slices exceptthat the opposite or under side of the support is used when the multi-cell knife functions. I

A modified form of knife in the shape of hearts, spades, or other configurations can be secured to the cutter and willtake the place of the multicell knife. In this case when the vegetable is forced through the different shaped knife dies, elongated vegetable portions of the shape of the dies will be formed and these may be cut into smaller pieces by making transverse cuts with a common knife. In the same manner if diced vegetables are wanted, the elongated shoe-string vegetable portions'that are formed by the cutter can be cut into smaller pieces by a common kitchen knife.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the vegetable- Figure 2 is a lan view of a metal blank used for forming the vegetable cutter;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the cutter with i only the corrugated knife in place;

Figure 4 is a front elevation showing a portion of the corrugated knife and a portion of the multi-cell knife, the latter being removably secured to the vegetable cutter;

Figure 5 is. a view similar to Figure 4; but shows the multi-cell knife permanently secured to the vegetable cutter;

Figure 6 illustrates a modified form of knife in which the vegetable cutting dies are heartshaped;

Figure 7 is another modified form illustrating 'other shapes of vegetable cutting dies; and I Figures 8, 9 and 10 are views of other modifiing each other to form a handle B. The flanges 2 are curved along the broken lines 2a, see Figure 2.

One end 01' the vegetable cutt r blank is in the shape of a yoke with two arms 3 flaring outwardly from the end of the shank I. The outer ends of the arms are interconnected by a guide member 4. A support 5 is integral with the guide member and lies flush therewith. Figure 1 again illustrates how the arms 3 are curved downwardly out of the plane of the handle B so as to dispose the guide member I at a lower elevation than the handle. The plane formed by the support 5 and the guide member 4 lies parallel with and is spaced below the handle. The arms 3 cooperate with the guide member 4 to forman opening 6 through which a vegetable is moved during the cutting operation.

Again referring to Figure 2., it will be noted that the guide member 4 has a row of openings I and that the blank A has extensions that project beyond the ends of the guide member and are L-shaped in the manner shown. The dotted lines on the blank indicate where the L-shaped extensions are folded in a particular manner to form uprights with guides. For example the dotted lines 8 indicate where the fold must be made in order to bring a portion 9 down upon the upper face of the guide 4 so that an opening III in the portion 9 will register with another opening II in the guide 4. A second fold is indicated by the dotted lines l2 and the fold when made along the lines [2 in an opposite direction to the former folds will provide uprights l3 as clearly shown in Figure 3. The uprights vhave threaded openings l4 for receiving set screws l5. Lateral extensions l6 are folded along the dotted lines I! and are spaced from the uprights to form guides l8 in the upright tops. Figure 2 also shows the ends of the guide 4 with transversely extending projections it that may be bent downwardly at right angles to the plane of the guide 1 as indicated in Figure 3. The projections l9 will form channels that will act as guides for the multi-cell knife to be hereinafter-described.

I will first describe the corrugated knife and will then set forth 'the multi-cell knife. The corrugated knife is indicated generally at C in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5. The knife has a corrugated portion 20 which is substantially co-extensive with the lens -h of the guide 4 and the knife also has upwardly extending arms 2| at its ends that are slidably received in the guides l8. The knife may be adjusted toward or away from the member 4-and held in parallel adjusted position by tightening the set-screws l5.

Whenthe knife C of the vegetable cutter is used, a small vegetable such as a carrot or a beet is first placed on the support and then is moved toward and ast the knife C. The corrugations 20 will form a corrugated cut in the vegetable. The space between the knife l2 and the guide 4 determines the thickness of the slice. If the operator wishes to corrugate the vegetable at right angles to the first series of corrugations, the vegetable slice can be rotated through an arc of 90 and then placed on the support and moved past the knife C for a second time. The new series of corrugations formed in the vegetable will intersect the flrst series and form a waflle-like pattern on the slice.

In Figures 1, 4 and 5 I show the multi-cell knife which is indicated generally at D. This knife has a plurality of longitudinally extending and spaced apart knives 22 that are-supported in a frame 23. Vertical knifes 24 are spaced from each other and extend from the bottom 23a. of

the frame to the guide 4, see Figure 4. The cutters are slotted at their intersections so that they may be inter-connected and form right angles with respect to each other. The tops of the vertical knives have projections 25, see Figure 1, that enter the openings I in the guide 4, see Figure 2.

The multi-cell knife is removably secured to the guide 4. The frame 23 has an outwardly extending flange 26 provided with an opening for receiving a bolt 21 that is also passed through the aligned openings) and II for securing the multi-cell knife to the vegetable cutter. The flange 26 is received between the channel formed by the projections I9 and in this manner the multi-cell knife D is removably secured to the guide 4 of the vegetable cutter.

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 except that the multi-cell knife D is permanently secured to the guide 4 by a bracket 28 that is riveted to the guide by a rivet 29 which is passed through the aligned openings l0 and II. The rivet takes the place of the bolt 26 which is also passed through the aligned openings l0 and II.

When using the multi-cell knife D or D, the vegetable or other material to be cut, is placed on the underside of the support 5 and is then moved toward and past the knife D, the knife cutting the vegetable into a plurality of elongated portions, each being square in cross section. -The knife D is used for cutting shoe-string potatoes in this manner. The vegetable cutter may be rotated into an upside down position when using the knife D and this will .permit the vegetable to rest on the support as it is movedagainst the knife. If it is desired to dice the potatoes or other vegetable, a kitchen knife is used for cutting the elongated portions into pieces.

In Figures 6 and 7 I show knives in various shapes and constituting cutting dies. The knife E has a frame 29 with flanges 36 for removably securing it to the vegetable cutter by the bolts 21. The die cutters 3| are in the shape of hearts and the rojections 32 are removably received in the openings 1 of the member 4. The knife F in Figure 7 is similar excepting that the diecutters 33 are of different shapes. The die cutters are supported in the frame 34 and carry projections 35 receivable in the openings I. Here again the frame 34 has flanges 36 for receiving the bolts 21 that secure the knife to the vegetable cutter.

When using either the knife E or F, the vegetable is placed on the underside of the support 5 and is moved through the knife to form elongated portions having the same configurations of the dies. The cutter may be held in an upside down position to facilitate the cutting operation. It is possible to cut the elongated mem-' bers into pieces with a kitchen knife.

When the corrugated knife C is used in connection with the upper side of the guide member 4 and support 5, the size of the vegetable cut is limited by the size ofthe opening 6. It is possible to mount the corrugated portion 20 of the knife C on the underside of the member 4 as shown in Figure 8 and then there is no limit to the size of the vegetable that may be corrugated by the knife. To this end I provide two slots 31in the guide member 4, the slots being positioned adjacent to the uprights I3. The slots are large enough to receive the arms 2! of the knife C when the corrugated portion 26 is disposed under and spaced from the guide member 4. The set screws l5 secure the knife C in adjusted position.

In using the device with the parts arranged as indicated, the vegetable is laced against the underside of the support 5 and is then moved against the corrugated portion 20. Here again the cutter may be held in an inverted position so that the vegetable will rest on the support 5. The multi-cell knife D can have the flanges 26 in Fig. 4 extend upwardly (not shown) instead of outwardly and be of a size to be received in the slots 31, the flanges being long enough to be received in the guides l8 and secured in place by-the set screws l5. Likewise the flanges 30 a and 9, while'the knee-s eat unattached to the vegetable cutter. Y

I claim:

adjacent to the support, whereby vegetables placed on the support and moved against the knife will be severed into a plurality of elon- 1. A vegetable cutter comprising a handle, a

vegetable support, arms integralwith the handle .on the support, a corrugated knife paralleling the support and being spaced thereabove, and adjustable means for positioning the knife the desired distance from -the support for cutting the vegetable into slices of the desired thickness.

2. A vegetable cutter comprising a handle, a vegetable support, arms integral with the handle and support for positioning the plane of the support below the handle, said arms being spaced from each other for providing a passage through which a vegetable may be moved when resting on the support, a corrugated knife paralleling the support, and adjustable means for positioning the knife the desired distance from the support, said means comprising uprights carried by the cutter, said knife having arms at its ends I adjustably secured to the uprights.

3. A vegetable cutter comprising a handle, a

.support for vegetables carried thereby, and a multi-cell knife secured to the cutter adjacent to the support and presenting a plurality of cutting edges on the same side of the support as contacts the vegetable, whereby vegetables placed on the support and moved against the knife will be severed into a plurality of elongated members.

4. A vegetable cutter comprising a handle, a support for vegetables carried thereby, and a multi-cell knife removably secured to the cutter gated members.

5. A vegetable cutter comprising a handle, a support for vegetables carried thereby, and a multi-die knife removably secured to the support, said dies having projections and said support having openings for receiving the projections.

6. A vegetable cutter comprising a handle, a vegetable-supporting platform carried thereby and including uprights arranged at the sidesof the support and extending toward the plane of the handle, said platform having slots placed adjacent to the uprights, a vegetable cutting knife disposed on the underside of the supporting platform and having arms removably receivable in the slots, guides carried by the uprights and slidably receiving the arms, and sets screws for securing the arms in adjusted positions in the uides.

'7. A vegetable cutter comprising a handle, a vegetable support, a corrugated knife paralleling the support, and adjustable means for positioning the knife the desired distance away from the support.

- 8. A vegetable cutter comprising a support, a

HENRY s. K. Lora: 

